Secrets of Egypt: 'Spectacular' archaeological site provides details of ancient life

University of Delaware UDaily ^ | June 7, 2011 | Ann Manser

[SunkenCiv]

On the edge of Egypt's eastern desert, known to natives as "the red land," Berenike thrived as a trading port for goods from Europe, Asia and southern Arabia. Sidebotham's digs have turned up such varied items as Indian-made pottery and beads, a figurine of Venus, timbers made of cedar from Lebanon, a clay jar containing decorative silver pieces, Roman glass, sapphires and other gems, a mother-of-pearl cross and sliver of Turkish marble used as veneer for walls. One large jar found embedded in the courtyard floor of a temple contained nearly 17 pounds of black peppercorns, which had been imported from India in the first century.

In addition to such objects, the project also has yielded much information about life in and around the city, Sidebotham said. Findings include elephant teeth and what was likely a holding pen for the animals used as ancient military vehicles, artifacts from several religions and a variety of deities and evidence of 12 different written languages including one that is as yet unidentified.

[Melchior]

Years ago, I drove by the Berenice site and then headed inland. Drove for at least eighty miles until arriving at the Nile. The only sight of greenery occurred inland about twenty miles where a camel had died and a bush had grown up around its remains. Stopped halfway to have a Stella beer and was immediately surrounded by swarms of flies. How they survived in that barren land I will never know.

[blueunicorn6]

My translation may not be grammatically correct, but I’m pretty sure it says “VISIT WALL DRUG!”